La Fenice in Eastleigh is serving up a night of Italian food for a film festival next month

AN Italian restaurant will be serving up tasty treats when it hosts a screening of a critically-acclaimed movie for a film festival.

Food at the movies usually involves popcorn or sweets wrapped in noisy plastic but La Fenice in Eastleigh will be serving up authentic Italian fare for a one-off screening.

Organisers of the inaugural Eastleigh Film Festival have teamed up with the restaurant to serve up a wonderful meal while Stanley Tucci’s culinary drama Big Night is screened for 50 lucky diners.

The festival runs from September 22 to 27 and aims to put the excitement back into going to the movies.

Located in the High Street, the owners of La Fenice promise to create a “truly unforgettable experience” when it hosts the showing on the evening of September 24.

The film couldn’t be a better fit for the family-run eaterie. Big Night is the tale of Italian brothers who aim to set up their own ristorante in New York with mixed, but highly entertaining, results.

Head chef and manager of La Fenice Paolo Pau, who inherited the restaurant from his father-in-law, said: “It’s going to be an amazing night. It’ll be completely different to anything we’ve experienced here before – a movie and a meal for just £20!”

For Paolo there was no reason why he wouldn’t get involved in the week-long festival.

He said: “I love to bring the community together and I think this event will attract all sorts of people.”

Enjoying a laugh about the representation of Italians in the movies, Paolo mentioned that “it’ll be nice to show the people of Eastleigh a film where the Italians aren’t all mafia mobsters!”

But unlike the stars of the film, Paolo is confident he’s put together a menu his local patrons will love: “There’s a few options to choose from, so I think I’m safe!” joked Paolo.

The three-course menu for the night features classic Italian favourites such as bolognaise, carbonara, tiramisu and more.